After doing lots of reading, I just want to make sure I have in my mind the right things to make my transition to the UK smooth. Because it isn't bog standard, I just wanted to get feedback from the rather informative people on the board here.
My partner and have known each other for over six years and have been officially "together" for over 5 years. I worked and lived in Ireland for several years and we shared a flat there. I visited him in the UK often, both from the US and from Ireland. He also visited me in the US several times until he got the big "denied" from the US, thinking he was looking for work.
I have decided to leave my job in the US and relocate in the UK. I would likely qualify under the skill labourers visa (though I think I might be one point short, depending on how you interpret it) and my partner has a full-time employment contract in the UK and is a UK-born citizen. I have several leads on positions, including continuing with the British part of my company. As a side note, I did apply for and receive a UK work permit at one point but never had it attached to my passport, because I didn't end up working in the UK for my company. I never even saw it since my employer handled everything.
We obviously are very excited about the civil partnership registration and that puts us in the same class as fiances. Based on my reading, this seems like the path of least resistance and the most secure method for me to enter the UK.
Therefore, I live in the Chicago are currently. My understanding is that I would be best to apply in person, providing documentation, including bank statements of my partner, his employment contract and lease information. Once (and if approved) I can enter the UK to register our civil partnership.
Once we have our partnership registered, I need to go to a PEO in order to get my FRL, again probably providing similar information as before. Once I have my FRL I can be legally employed in the UK, right? I am also curious how long between me arriving and registering our civil partnership and applying in person would I be able to legally work in the UK. Should I plan 2-3 weeks or if I have nothing else to do, will it only take a couple days? Also, I may be required to travel a lot in most of positions, including back to the US. Once I have my FRL, does this present any problems with the UK?
Once I have my FRL, after 23 months of being in the UK, I can get my IRL, which after a total of 3 years in the UK, I can apply for citzenship. Correct?
Any other thoughts or comments would be appreciated, especially about anything around civil partnership registration versus traditional marriage. I know they aren't supposed to look at these differently, but do they really?
--Thanks
